Bridgeport approves reservoir improvements, building replacement

BRIDGEPORT— City council members gathered for their first face-to-face regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, March 17 allowed under the state’s March 11 upgrade to Phase 3 of its Roadmap to Recovery plan. The 7 p.m. council was preceded by the latest meeting of the SR 173 Downtown Revitalization Committee that has been conferring regularly for the past 18 months to guide the city through its program to renovate its business corridor.

The city approved two supplemental agreements, one for professional services to replace the wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) that burned in last fall’s Pearl Hill wildfire, and the second for system improvements to the city’s second water reservoir. Both are supplemental an earlier professional services agreement negotiated in November 2019 with consulting engineers Gray & Osbourne.

Reservoir 2 improvements

The reservoir contract is a continuation of Gray & Osbourne’s original work of designing the reservoir, booster station, distribution system, electrical, telemetry and associated services. During that work additional items were identified to increase the city water system’s reliability. Per the contract language will include:

● Replacement of an existing PRV (pressure relief valve) station – currently not functioning - near the intersection of 10th Street and Columbia Avenue.

● Additional distribution system pipelines and easements required for creation of a new pressure zone.

● Radio telemetry and controls for the entire water system connection to the existing wastewater SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system.

● Backup power, electrical, and control connections to each of the city’s three well sites.

City Public Works Director Stuart Dezellem explained to the council that while water pressure at residences nearer to the reservoir would not be excessive those near the ends of the distribution lines could reach 100 pounds per square inch (psi) or greater, too high for the residential lines to handle.

The engineers will also assist the city through the contractor bid and award process. Council approval gives the green light for Gray & Osbourne to begin work stipulated in the agreement, capped at $262,000. Bid advertisement for a contractor is expected to be ready in early 2002.

WWTF replacement

Gray & Osborne will design and oversee construction of a replacement WWTF building for the one that was destroyed in the Sept. 7, 2020, Pearl Hill wildfire. The $240,275 project will be funded by the city, its insurance carrier, and the state Department of Ecology. Contractor bids are expected to be advertised by mid-May 2021.

Per the supplemental agreement, the engineers’ scope of work will include:

● Lab facilities and furnishings.

● Bathroom/locker room.

● Electrical room (with electrical distribution and communication equipment).

● Chlorine storage room.

● Full basement to include:

○ Sludge pump room w/two sludge pumps, valves, etc.

○ Storage room.

The scope of work also includes re-creation of city records lost in the fire – record drawings, pictures, planning documents, etc.

In other business the city is tentatively going ahead with plans to open the public pool this summer and Hooked on Kids Fishing Derby.

Dezellem said the public works departments is proceeding with its preparations under the assumption that the pool will be operating this year. Mayor Conklin and pool manager Jackie Hentges are checking out other details such as available lifeguards and training classes.

Conklin said she plans to proceed with the kids fishing derby to coincide with the state’s free fishing weekend on Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7.